Are mowers hard to come by right now

[bkeller500]

I have had 6 different lawn tractors ( Simplicity, Toro & John Deere) and 2 Simplicity ZT's.......and none of them ever had a warranty claim. Perhaps I did not own them long enough to experience a warranty issue but Never had to get rid of one because it had mechanical issues. Warranties are great when you need one, but other than a car, I never seem to need one. I still would not purchase a lawn tractor from a Big box store but rather a dealer where I can ask for help or advice.

 

[ILENGINE]

Here is my view (take it for what it's worth) on warranties, they are provided to protect the consumer in the case of defects from the manufacturer. This means the warranty is very important for about ten minutes during which time 99.99% of defects will reveal themselves. Starting on minute 11, they're worthless.

And that statement is basically true. Most warranty defects will show up within the first 5 hours of operation.

 

[Moondoggy]

I have never had a warranty issue on any of the walk behind mowers that I've owned but I found out that a local store selling mowers that have been returned to the manufacturers and rehab'ed then resold to stores like his. He's trying to pawn the off as new but they don't come with warranties so I wanted to make sure that if I bought one on line it would at least be covered if something was initially wrong with it. So my question is still this...... If you can't buy a snapper or a Craftsman or a Cub Cadet 30 inch mower from a big box store or a local dealer do you buy online because they have one that your looking for or should I just keep using my walk behind until the dust settles and I can buy one locally. I have a 1/2 acre lot and I'll soon be 71.

 

[Hammermechanicman]

I bought a one year old used ferris 3100z that came off a lease with 300 hours on it. Dealer gave me a 1 year warranty on the mower and whatever was still left on the Briggs engine warranty. I forget how long it was. About 9 months in a plastic zip tie on the throttle cable broke and the cable fell down on the muffler melting and ruining it. Dealer said part was covered under warranty but not labor. I asked if i could install it myself. Dealer said as long as i bring back the melted cable the part was covered. I figure that's pretty good service from a dealer

 

[slomo]

I have been in this business for 46 years and to me the best rear engine rider on the market is the Snapper rear engine riding mower. If you can find one they are really well made and last forever.

Sounds familiar........

 

[bkeller500]

I you still have a mower to use, I think I would wait a bit and see if your local dealers start receiving inventory. Go in and get on a call list for when they do. Eventually they all will receive some units as inventory becomes available. My local Farm & Fleet store has some left over Cub mowers they just moved out into the store this weekend. My Home Depot put a few out also. Probably not much difference from a 2021-2022 model so if you find one grab it. I have noticed that most of the manufacturers have posted higher list prices on their web sites already, so a new delivery will likely cost more. Buying on line may turn out to be your only option if you are anxious. You can assemble just as well as any dealer can. They don't require much assembly. Check bolts for tightness, check fluids, level the deck, and assemble any parts that the mfg sent along with the mower. I wouldn't worry too much about warranty. Just make sure what you order is what you want as returns are probably a problem. Will the mower you order cut you lawn as nicely as you expect it to?

 

[Moondoggy]

Here's an update.

I can get a 2021 model mower via an online dealer. I felt a bit uneasy about ordering online as I had concerns with service after the sale and whether the warranty would be honored by the local dealer so I went back to my local dealer today and they were super helpful. Their concern for me is whether the seller was an authorized dealer selling a new product under warranty or if they were someone that bought mowers from a bankruptcy sale or mowers that had been returned and reconditioned that didn't have a warranty. The local dealer actually called Cub Cadet and used their dealer number to seek info on the seller and I was also able to speak with the Cub Cadet rep as well on their speakerphone. The Cub Cadet rep said that the particular model I was looking for would not even go back into production until May and they could not guarantee when they might make it to small dealers like my local dealer. The Cub Cadet rep also looked up the online seller and confirmed that they are in fact an authorized Cub Cadet dealer and that the warranty would definitely be valid. With that info my local dealer said that even though they would love to sell me a mower but f they were in my shoes they would order one online so tomorrow I'll be pulling the trigger and buying a mower.

 

[Rivets]

Just a suggestion. With a local dealer like you are talking about, I would be getting up early tomorrow morning going to the best bakery in town and buying a dozen of sweet rolls and have it waiting by the front door as he and his staff come into work. You better keep that guy happy, they are hard to come by.

 

[7394]

Sounds like a Dealer you wanna treat right.